Diabetes is a condition that involves elevated blood sugar levels and excessive insulin secretion by the pancreas. When your blood sugar levels increase, your pancreas releases insulin. Your body then uses the insulin and the glucose released from the food you ate to produce energy.
As you know, junk food is the bedrock of overweight and obesity and thus promotes the onset of metabolic diseases. A French team has just discovered a mechanism linking food imbalance and the occurrence of type 2 diabetes.
Too much fat, too much sugar, salt or alcohol. It is all this that imbalance our diet. And this imbalance opens the door to many pathologies, such as type 2 diabetes. To understand how this cause-and-effect link works, a French team * looked at our intestinal microbiota. These microorganisms which play a major role in digestive, metabolic, immune and neurological functions.
Why? Because we know that food impacts the composition of the microbiota. From what we eat, gut bacteria produce organic compounds called metabolites which can have an impact on health. And as the researchers recall, ” changes in the composition of the microbiota and the production of certain metabolites can directly influence the development of type 2 diabetes. ”
What are some early signs of diabetes?
Having a thirstier feeling than usual. Urinating frequently. Having lost weight without trying. Having ketones in the urine. Feeling tired and weak. Feeling irritable or having other mood changes. Having blurry vision. Having slow-healing sores.
The authors thus observed that the individuals who have a poor diet have an increase in imidazole propionate. This molecule blocks the action of insulin, preventing it from lowering the amounts of sugar in the blood. They further noticed that people with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes did indeed have higher levels of imidazole propionate in their blood.
The scientists thus explain that their study ” aims to send a message of prevention, by emphasizing that a more varied diet makes it possible to enrich the microbiota. “
So, what is a varied diet?
Foods fall into 5 main categories:
- meat, fish, eggs.
- dairy products.
- cereal and starch products.
- vegetables.
- fruits
A diversified diet should include at least one food from each category every day. But we also have to follow a few simple rules:
- Consume at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
- Limit the consumption of fats, especially saturated fats (pastries, pastries, cold cuts, butter, sauces, cheeses, whole milk, fatty meats, etc.).
- Increase the consumption of slow sugars, in the form of whole grains (whole grain or grain bread, rice, pasta, whole grain semolina…).
- Limit sugary foods.
- Limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Consume water without moderation (at least a liter and a half per day, as is or in the form of hot drinks).
* Inserm, Sorbonne University, AP-HP and INRAE